2009 MAZDA MODEL RX 8 oil

Black plate (331,1)
Owner Maintenance Precautions
Improper or incomplete service may result in problems. This section gives instructions only
for items that are easy to perform.
As explained in the Introduction (page 8-2), several procedures can be done only by a
qualified service technician with special tools.
Improper owner maintenance during the warranty period may affect warranty coverage.
For details, read the separate Mazda Warranty statement provided with the vehicle. If
you're unsure about any servicing or maintenance procedure, have it done by an
Authorized Mazda Dealer.
There are strict environmental laws regarding the disposal of waste oil and fluids. Please
dispose of your waste properly and with due regard to the environment.
We recommend that you entrust the oil and fluid changes of your vehicle to an Authorized
Mazda Dealer.
WARNING
Do not perform maintenance work if you lack sufficient knowledge and experience or
the proper tools and equipment to do the work. Have maintenance work done by a
qualified technician:Performing maintenance work on a vehicle is dangerous if not done properly. You
can be seriously injured while performing some maintenance procedures.
If you must run the engine while working under the hood, make certain that you
remove all jewelry (especially rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces) and all
neckties, scarves, and similar loose clothing before getting near the engine or cooling
fan which may turn on unexpectedly: Working under the hood with the engine running is dangerous. It becomes even
more dangerous when you wear jewelry or loose clothing.
Either can become entangled in moving parts and result in injury.
Turn off the ignition switch and make sure the fan is not running before attempting
to work near the cooling fan: Working near the cooling fan when it is running is dangerous. The fan could
continue running indefinitely even if the engine has stopped and the engine
compartment temperature is high. You could be hit by the fan and seriously injured.
Do not leave items in the engine compartment: After you have finished checking or doing servicing in the engine compartment, do
not forget and leave items such as tools or rags in the engine compartment.
Tools or other items left in the engine compartment could cause engine damage or a
fire leading to an unexpected accident.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Engine Compartment Overview
Windshield washer
fluid reservoirEngine oil-filler cap
Engine oil dipstickBrake/Clutch fluid
reservoir
Cooling system cap
Engine coolant reservoir BatteryFuse block
(near battery) Air filter Fuse block (next
to air filter)
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Engine Oil
CAUTION
Do not use either synthetic or semi-
synthetic motor oil. Otherwise engine
starting performance could worsen.
NOTE
lChanging the engine oil should be done by
an Authorized Mazda Dealer.
lThe Mazda RX-8 requires regular checking
of the engine oil level. The compact, high
performance RENESIS rotary engine in
your vehicle consumes a small amount of
engine oil due to its structural design. An
oil pump optimizes the amount of oil
injected to lubricate the rotor seals in the
combustion cycle. Although your vehicle is
equipped with an engine oil level warning
light, it is best to keep the engine oil level in
the range between full and low by checking
the oil dipstick regularly. Mazda
recommends checking the oil level at every
second fuel filling. The oil consumption of
the engine depends on engine speed and
engine load. Under extreme driving
conditions, oil consumption can be higher.
q Recommended Oil
Use SAE 5W-20 engine oil.
Oil container labels provide important
information.
A chief contribution this type of oil makes
to fuel economy is reducing the amount of
fuel necessary to overcome engine
friction.
U.S.A. and CANADA
(ILSAC)
Only use oils “Certified For Gasoline
Engines ”by the American Petroleum
Institute (API). An oil with this trademark
symbol conforms to the current engine
and emission system protection standards
and fuel economy requirements of the
International Lubricant Standardization
and Approval Committee (ILSAC),
comprised of U.S. and Japanese
automobile manufacturers.
5W-20
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
–20
5040
30
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
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Except U.S.A. and CANADA
(ILSAC)
The quality designation SL,SM, or ILSAC
must be on the label.
5W-20
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
–20
5040
30
20
10
0
–10
–20
–30
q
Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to return to the oil pan. 4. Remove the service cover.
5. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and
reinsert it fully.
Full
Low OK
6. Pull it out again and examine the level.
It's OK between Low and Full.
But if it's near or below Low, add
enough oil to bring the level to Full.
CAUTION
Don't add engine oil over Full. This
may cause engine damage.
The distance between Low and Full on the
dipstick represents the following:
Oil capacity
L (US qt, Imp qt) 2.0 (2.1, 1.8)
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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Inspect fluid level in the washer fluid
reservoir; add fluid if necessary.
Full
LowOK
Use plain water if washer fluid is
unavailable.
But use only washer fluid in cold weather
to prevent it from freezing.
Body Lubrication
All moving points of the body, such as
door and hood hinges and locks, should
be lubricated each time the engine oil is
changed. Use a nonfreezing lubricant on
locks during cold weather.
Make sure the hood's secondary latch
keeps the hood from opening when the
primary latch is released.
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WARNING
Do not replace the xenon fusion bulbs
yourself:Replacing the xenon fusion bulbs
yourself is dangerous. Because the
xenon fusion bulbs require high
voltage, you could receive an electric
shock if the bulbs are handled
incorrectly. Consult an Authorized
Mazda Dealer when the replacement
is necessary.
Never touch the glass portion of a
halogen bulb with your bare hands and
always wear eye protection when
handling or working around the bulbs: When a halogen bulb breaks, it is
dangerous. These bulbs contain
pressurized gas. If one is broken, it
will explode and serious injuries
could be caused by the flying glass.
If the glass portion is touched with
bare hands, body oil could cause the
bulb to overheat and explode when
lit.
Always keep halogen bulbs out of the
reach of children: Playing with a halogen bulb is
dangerous. Serious injuries could be
caused by dropping a halogen bulb
or breaking it some other way.
qReplacing Exterior Light Bulbs
Replacing a headlight bulb
Low-beam bulb
(Xenon fusion bulb)
You cannot replace the low beam bulbs by
yourself.
The bulbs must be replaced at an
Authorized Mazda Dealer. High-beam bulb
1. Make sure the ignition switch is turned
off and the headlight switch is off.
2. If you are changing the right headlight bulb, start the engine, turn the steering
wheel all the way to the right, and turn
off engine. If you are changing the left
headlight bulb, turn the steering wheel
to the left.
3. Turn the center section of the plastic retainer counterclockwise and remove
the retainers and partially peel back the
mudguard.
Removal
Installation
4. Disconnect the electrical connectorfrom the bulb by pressing the tab on
the connector with your finger and
pulling the connector downward.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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3. Remove the fog light unit by pulling itdownward and then straight out using
both hands.
NOTE
When pulling out the fog light unit, be careful
not to allow the bulb socket to contact the oil
cooler.
4. Press the tab on the bulb socket anddisconnect the connector cord.
5. Rotate the bulb socket counterclockwise as shown in the
figure and remove it.
6. Replace the bulb.
7. Reinstall the bulb socket in the reverse
order of the removal procedure.
Front turn signal lights/Parking lights
1. Make sure the ignition switch is turnedoff and the headlight switch is off.
2. If you are changing the right bulb, start the engine, turn the steering wheel all
the way to the right, and turn off
engine. If you are changing the left
bulb, turn the steering wheel to the left.
3. Turn the center section of the plastic retainer counterclockwise and remove
the retainers and partially peel back the
mudguard.
Removal
Installation
4. Turn the socket and bulb assemblycounterclockwise and remove it.
5. Disconnect the bulb from the socket.
6. Install the new bulb in the reverse order of the removal procedure.
Maintenance and Care
Owner Maintenance
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WARNING
Dry wet brakes by driving very slowly
and applying the brakes lightly until
brake performance is normal:Driving with wet brakes is
dangerous. Increased stopping
distance or the vehicle pulling to one
side when braking could result in a
serious accident. Light braking will
indicate whether the brakes have
been affected.
Waxing
Your vehicle needs to be waxed when
water no longer beads on the finish.
Always wash and dry the vehicle before
waxing it. In addition to the vehicle body,
wax the metal trim to maintain its luster.
1. Use wax which contains no abrasives.Waxes containing abrasive will remove
paint and could damage bright metal
parts.
2. Use a good grade of natural wax for metallic, mica, and solid colors.
3. When waxing, coat evenly with the sponge supplied or a soft cloth.
4. Wipe off the wax with a soft cloth.
NOTE
A spot remover to remove oil, tar, and similar
materials will usually also take off the wax.
Rewax these areas even if the rest of the
vehicle doesn't need it.
q Repairing Damage to the Finish
Deep scratches or chips on the finish
should be repaired promptly. Exposed
metal quickly rusts and can lead to major
repairs.
CAUTION
If your Mazda is damaged and needs
metal parts repaired or replaced,
make sure the body shop applies
anti-corrosion materials to all parts,
both repaired and new. This will
prevent them from rusting.
qBright-Metal Maintenance
lUse tar remover to remove road tar and
insects. Never do this with a knife or
similar tool.
lTo prevent corrosion on bright-metal
surfaces, apply wax or chrome
preservative and rub it to a high luster.
lDuring cold weather or in coastal areas,
cover bright-metal parts with a coating
of wax or preservative heavier than
usual. It would also help to coat them
with noncorrosive petroleum jelly or
some other protective compound.
CAUTION
Don't use steel wool, abrasive
cleaners, or strong detergents
containing highly alkaline or caustic
agents on chrome-plated or anodized
aluminum parts. This may result in
damage to the protective coating and
cause discoloration or paint
deterioration.
Maintenance and Care
Appearance Care
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